SAN ANTONIO — On Friday, a double-amputee and San Antonio veteran said he needed help finding his custom wheelchair, which he believed fell off his truck while he was driving on the highway.
On Wednesday, U.S. Air Force veteran Colton Read said his wheelchair was returned!
Previously, Read said he was driving on 410 Tuesday on the city’s east side when his wheelchair came undone and fell off. He said he drove the entire route three times, but only found his strap in the middle of the road.
His power wheelchair is green with “Ally” written on it.
“It was like I was losing my mobility. I lost my legs all over again,” Read said. “I’ve been trying to do everything to get it back.”
Now, he has his independence back. He told KENS 5 he can't stop smiling since his wheelchair was returned. So, how did he get it back?
He got a call from a road construction crew member who had picked it up.
"It was in the large scrap pile of metal. And this gentleman said that he saw my chair. And because he had seen it on the news, he realized what it was and they reached out and let me know they had found my chair," said Read.
Read has used a wheelchair for more than a decade. Before he was deployed to Afghanistan, he had gall bladder surgery. But he says the operation went horribly wrong and blood supply was cut off to his limbs
“There was nothing they could do except remove my legs. I’ve been in a wheelchair ever since,” Read said.
He decided to ask friends on social media to help him track down his wheelchair. The Facebook post had been shared more than 4,000 times.
“It’s blown me away. I was hoping to just get my friends to be on the lookout. I never expected it to be shared as much as it has. It’s meant a lot,” he said.
People offered manual chairs, but Read already has one. KENS 5 viewers have even come forward to offer money, and one woman was willing to provide a used power chair for free.
But Read said the wheelchair he needs is a unique design that’s specifically tailored for him.
“It’s actually built on a Segway. It gives me more ability than an average wheelchair,” he said.
A local nonprofit organization said they could replace the chair, but he declined. Read said he didn’t want to take away from another person who may need it.
The chair was pretty banged up, but Read is getting it repaired and says he can't thank all those enough who reached out.